Fishhook



G. R. MlbDLEToN FISHHOOK Filed Dec. 26, 1924 July 6 ,1926.

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gnv'mtox 6 IQ. Middlei'onu' Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED starts EJATENT Fries.

FISHHOOK.

Application filed December 26, 192%. Serial No. 758,210.

without cruelty to the fish and with safety to' the fisherman. Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and consists incertain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved fish hook as it appears whenarranged for use, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the fish hook released as when making acatch.

The fish hook embodying my invention comprises two impalement jaws 1 and2 which are constructed of resilient wire or light rods connected midwaytheir ends by a coil 3 the ends of the impalement jaws being formed intobarbs 4 which are adapted to partly penetrate the gills or the throat ofthe fish and secure it, when they have been released. At the coil 3, aloop 5 is secured to the jaws to facilitate the attachment of the hookto the line 6 and this loop or eye is somewhat resilient so that it willfollow the movement of the jaws in the operation of the hook. The loopor eye may be secured to the jaws in any preferred manner as bysoldering. Upon the inner side of the jaw 1 between the end of the jawand the coil 3, is formed or secured a lug 7 constituting a keeper forthe latch 8, the said latch consisting of a resilient wire or light rodfirmly united at one end with the jaw 2 and adapted to extend across thespace between the jaws, the free end of the latch being formed into anupstanding hook 9 ada ted to engage behind the keeper or lug i as shownin Fig. 1, and thereby hold the jaws in closed position. The latchcarries a bait holder 10 which may be of any preferred form and isillustrated as a barbed hook. This bait holder may be disposed in aplane common to the jaws 1 and 2 as illustrated, or may be disposed atan angle to said plane. When it is disposed at an angle to the plane, ashorter latch may be used and the jaws may be held closer together butwhen it is disposed as illustrated, the liability of the fisherman beinginjured by the barb of the hook is lessened.

The action of the hook will be readily understood. Bait is placed uponthe bait holder 10 and the jaws are pressed toward each other so thatthe hook 9 of the latch will engage the keeper 7, as shown in Fig. 1.hen a fish attracted by the bait attempts to remove the same, the pullexerted upon the bait and the bait holder will withdraw the latch fromthe keeper and the aws will then at once spring apart, as shown in Fig.

2, and impale the fish.

The device is exceedingly simple, may be produced at a low cost and maybefreely 05 handled by a fisherman without liability to injure him whilethe fish will be securely caught and will be held until the hook iswithdrawn after landing the fish.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. A fish hook comprising a strand of resilient material bent to providea spring member and arms extending therefrom and terminating inpenetrating prongs, a line- 7.5 engaging member formed from a strip ofre silient material bent to provide an eye adapted to have the linesecured therein and arms extending in diverging relation to each otherand secured to the upper end portions of the first-mentioned arms instraddling relation to said spring member, and means to releasably holdthe first-mentioned arms in a set position after being moved towardseach other.

2. A fish hook comprising a strand of resilient material bent to providea spring member and arms extending therefrom and terminating inpenetrating prongs, a resilient latch bar extending between said armsand'having one end portion bent to form a foot extending longitudinallyof one of the arms and rigidly secured thereto and at its free endprovided with a bill, a keeper rigid with the other arm and disposed forengage- 95 ment by the bill of said latch bar to releasably retain thearms in a set position, and a bait hold r carried by said latch bar andextending downwardly therefrom and adapted to be forced towards eachother to a disposed between the lower portions of said set position,bait holding'means adapted to 10 arms. releasably hold said arms in theset-position,

3. A fish hook comprising a strand of reand line engaging means adjacentthe joined silient material bent to form arms extending ends of saidarms and serving to limit in diverging relation toward their free endsspreading of the arms when released. and terminating in penetratingprongs, said In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. arms beingnormally spread apart and GEORGE E. MIDDLETON. [L. s.]

